July tips for keeping chickens

A henkeeper for more than 20 years with a 400-strong flock on her Surrey farm, Suzie Baldwin offers her advice on keeping chickens...

With my four children enjoying their summer break, we have more time to provide entertainment for the hens. My sons have been dragging branches into the enclosures, and my daughters have placed compost mixed with Barrier Red Mite Powder in the dust baths. This prevents parasites and has a lovely herbal scent.

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I drilled small holes in the base of a bucket, filled it with corn and hung it from a scarecrow. The flock quickly worked out that if they jumped on the scarecrow, it would dispense the goods, keeping them busy.

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Long summer grass can cause problems, not only 'grounding' the power for electric fences, but also forming balls that obstruct a chicken's crop (where they break down their food). So keep grass fairly short and provide grit. Deterring insects is another summer job – spray citronella around the coop and stick fly-paper up out of the birds' reach.

Hang bunches of protein-and vitamin-rich dandelions in the run, and blanch and freeze some for winter.

You might find your girls begin to moult towards the end of this month. Growing new feathers can take up to eight weeks, so give them a boost with Battles Poultry Drink.

July tips for keeping chickens

Juice immune-boosting carrots and place the liquid in a drinking bowl for your flock

Power-wash your henhouse on the morning of a warm day so it dries out by the evening